Vengeance-Crystal Eye

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Dutch band Vengeance,formed over 30 years ago by vocalist Leon Gowie has assembled an impressive band line up to record their 9th studio album Crystal Eye due to be released on Feb 27th 2012 by Steamhammer/SPV records. Vengeance probably will not be mentioned in the same breath as current super groups like Chickenfoot or Black Country Communion but with a line up that includes Chris Slade (ex ACDC) on drums,Keri Kelli (ex Alice Cooper) on guitar and Chris Glen (ex MSG),there is a lot of pedigree here!

Crystal Eye was produced by Michael Voss who co-wrote the album with Leon Gowie apart from the title track,written by former Vengeance guitarist Arjen Lucassen: Whole Lotta Metal was written by Tony Martin (ex Black Sabbath vocalist) and the closing track on the album,Jan’s End Piece consists of the last guitar solos by Jan Somers,Vengeance guitarist who passed away just over a year ago. His son Timo contributes guitar work on Crystal Eye.

Apart from Jan’s End Piece,the album contains 7 hard rock/ metal songs and 3 power ballads,bolstered by a crisp production by Michael Voss. The vocal style of Leon Gowie is similar to Udo Dirkschneider/Bon Scott and is most noteworthy on the shout it out loud chorus of opener Me And You,the lurid Five Knuckle Shuffle,the soaring Promise Me and the classic Rainbow esque title track.

Lyrically,the album is “fist in the air shout it out metal” which fit in with the huge drums of Chris Slade and guitar riffs from Keri Kelly,Timo Somers and Arjen Lucassen.